Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration

A passionate advocate for college access, Leah Merrifield will receive the 2017 Rosa L. Parks Award at Washington University in St. Louis’ Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration. The event will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, in Graham Chapel. Merrifield helped launch the university’s innovative College Prep Program.

Melvin White decided the St. Louis street named for Martin Luther King Jr. fell far short of being worthy of its namesake – and he set out to change that. White founded the nonprofit Beloved Streets of America, and WUSTL honored his efforts with this year’s Rosa L. Parks Award.

“Hope in Action” is the theme of this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. commemoration at Washington University in St. Louis. The program will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 21, in Graham Chapel and feature a keynote address by Vice Provost Adrienne Davis. A commemoration also is planned on the School of Medicine campus.

Marsha Cann, left, and Ron Himes of The Black Rep perform Jan. 16 during the 25th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration in Graham Chapel at Washington University in St. Louis. Himes, a WUSTL alumnus and the founder and producing director of The Black Rep, received the Rosa L. Parks Award for Meritorius Service to the Community. The event also paid tribute to the late James E. McLeod, vice chancellor for students and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.